Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)

Lewis & Clark Graduate School

The Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is an intensive, interactive and practice-dominated course for caregivers (any person in a position of trust) who want to feel more comfortable, confident and competent in helping to prevent the immediate risk of suicide. Just as “CPR” skills make physical first aid possible, training in suicide intervention develops the skills needed for suicide first aid.

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

Recognize that caregivers and persons at risk are affected by personal and societal attitudes about suicide;

Discuss suicide with a person at risk in a direct manner;

Identify risk alerts and develop a safeplan related to them;

Demonstrate the skills required to intervene with a person at risk of suicide;

List the types of resources available to a person at risk of suicide;

Make a commitment to improving community resources and networking; and

Recognize that suicide prevention is broader than suicide intervention, and includes life promotion and self-care for persons at risk as well as for caregivers.

Who should attend?The workshop is for all caregivers, including mental health professionals, educators and school support staff, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, youth workers, police and correctional staff, clergy, and community volunteers.

“Prior to participating in ASIST, I was reluctant to get involved in conversations involving suicide because I felt uneasy about how to engage effectively. I walked away from this training with clear and applicable tools to enter a conversation with confidence and fearlessness, equipped to support and converse openly about suicide. It was absolutely one of the most valuable trainings I have experienced in my career.”

- Laurel Auda-Capel, Counselor, Roosevelt High School

Class Details & Registration

Dates: Friday-Saturday, September 29-30, 2017, 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Instructors: Leslie Rodgers, LCSW, and Kathy Wilson-Fey, MA

Graduate Continuing Education credit: CECP 866, 1 semester hour, $350

Materials fee: $45. Each participant will receive a kit including a 20 page workbook, background and feedback forms, and more.

*Please note: Completed registration forms containing social security numbers and/or credit card information should not be submitted via email. If you choose to pay by credit card, please mail or fax your registration to the Center for Community Engagement, using the contact information on the right-hand side of this webpage.

This workshop is currently full. If you wish to be place on a waiting list, please e-mail the Center for Community Engagement at: cce@lclark.edu.

About the Instructors

Leslie Rodgers is a licensed clinical social worker and registered ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills) trainer with over 20 years experience working with children and adults in various therapeutic settings, including group homes, psychiatric hospitals, and schools. Her current work involves implementing best practice procedures and providing staff development in student threat assessment, suicide prevention, and crisis response for Beaverton School District. She holds a B.A. from the University of Texas and a Masters in Social Work from Portland State University.

Kathy Wilson-Fey is a registered ASIST Trainer and has clinical counseling and teaching experience in a variety of settings, including community college, community mental health, and an international university. She is in her ninth year as a mental health specialist in public schools, where she works with students and families, trains school staff on suicide intervention, and coordinates school support during crises. Kathy is fluent in Spanish and is committed to equity work and cultural competence. She holds a BA from Whitman College and a masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of Oregon.

New events are added to our calendar regularly. For the latest on events related to your specific interests, sign up to receive periodic updates by email and/or mail.